US Health Care Costs

BUN (kidney blood test)

CPT 84520 · Lab tests · hospital facility charge

At the 127 hospitals whose price files we have read so far, the typical cash price is $42, and most charge between $7 and $429 (the middle 80%; price files contain errors, so the extremes are left out). Pick a state to compare its hospitals.

Estimate what you would pay

$42typical cash price
$8typical commercial insurer rate
$82typical list price
127hospitals in 32 states so far
Typical cash price by state
AKMEWIVTNHWA$49ID$30MTNDMN$10IL$45MI$5NY$18MA$44OR$35NV$626WYSDIA$43IN$10OH$18PA$14NJ$4CT$24RICA$43UT$135CONE$11MO$25KY$15WVVA$65MD$4DE$60AZ$99NMKSARTN$12NC$49SC$63DCOK$33LAMSAL$64GA$49HITX$202FL$67PR

Every state

StateHospitalsTypical cash priceLowest cashHighest cashTypical insurer price
Alabama1$64$64$64$7
Arizona2$99$11$187$12
California11$43$9$931$6
Connecticut1$24$24$24$4
Delaware1$60$60$60$11
Florida8$67$8$513$29
Georgia6$49$30$117$7
Iowa1$43$43$43$8
Idaho2$30$30$30$23
Illinois6$45$38$173$33
Indiana2$10$10$10$6
Kentucky2$15$12$18$19
Massachusetts3$44$34$44$38
Maryland1$4$4$4–
Michigan3$5$5$19$7
Minnesota1$10$10$10$7
Missouri4$25$19$48$16
North Carolina4$49$42$49$49
Nebraska1$11$11$11$14
New Jersey8$4$4$13$12
Nevada1$626$626$626$4
New York1$18$18$18$4
Ohio7$18$6$56$5
Oklahoma3$33$25$41$22
Oregon1$35$35$35$23
Pennsylvania9$14$5$97$6
South Carolina4$63$60$86$12
Tennessee2$12$12$12$5
Texas21$202$8$928$8
Utah2$135$124$146$138
Virginia6$65$65$229$5
Washington2$49$44$55$8
127 hospitals so far: only hospitals whose price files we've read are listed, and more are added every night. The price is the hospital's part; the doctor usually bills separately.

Common questions

How much does BUN (kidney blood test) cost at a hospital?

At 122 hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for BUN (kidney blood test) is $42, and most charge between $7 and $429. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $8. These are hospital prices; independent clinics, imaging centers and labs often charge less.

Is it cheaper to pay cash or use insurance for BUN (kidney blood test)?

At 29 of the 115 hospitals that publish both, the cash price is lower than the typical insurer rate. Remember that with insurance you pay only your share of that rate once your deductible is met, and that cash payments usually don't count toward your deductible.

Does the price include the doctor?

No. These are the hospital's own charges, often called the facility fee. The doctors involved, such as the surgeon, the anesthesiologist or the radiologist who reads a scan, usually send a separate bill.

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